Chapter 7: Pursuit

Chapter 7: Pursuit

“My suit’s systems have picked up another power surge!” Iron-Man noted as he and Morrigan flew through the sky ahead of the others. Despite this he had tapped into Gamora’s comms link and they could all communicate.

“Power surge?” Trish stroked her chin as she rode with Dante on the back of his motorcycle. “What does this have to do with the blazing bird?”

“It’s that EMP-like energy that Phoenix gives off. Tony’s suit can detect it as a power source thus how he’s able to track it now.” Gamora said as she rode her own bike alongside them.

“And Tony’s tech can sort of… triangulate this power like it’s some sort of cellphone or something!” Dante yelled as Tony replied.

“That’s one way of looking at it! I installed a combination of hardware and software in my suit that allows my suits A.I. to inform of massive nearby power surges in case of an emergency where my suit may require a mid-battle recharge!”

“Brave, handsome, and brilliant!” Morrigan said as she watched Tony from behind, and much to her excitement she could practically feel Tony blushing from behind his mask.

“Um… why thank you.” He said confidently yet somewhat embarrassed. Something he usually wasn’t around women, but Morrigan was no regular woman.

The group was well behind Tony and Morrigan riding their motorcycles on the ground. But thanks to some tech of Gamora’s that her comms were hooked up to she was also able to track Tony this way. Morrigan whom had wings of her own was able to fly alongside Tony. Tony, or Iron-Man was initially hesitant due to not wanting to be slowed down by the sultry succubus but was shocked when he could see she was easily able to keep up with him.

So too was Tony grateful that she had a hand in saving his life. Unbeknownst to him it was for less than heroic reasons, but it didn’t really matter. He was just glad to be alive and able to look for his friend Colonel Rhodes (War Machine), who was last seen in battle with Jean Grey The Phoenix.

“Wait Dante!” Gamora yelled as both her and Dante’s bikes came to a screeching halt. Gravel from the road kicking up as Gamora and Dante’s feet hit the ground and into the stone.

Standing before them on the road was an oddity. Two men of slightly smaller stature were standing in their way. Gamora radioed Tony to make him aware of the situation. Informing him to go on ahead and that whatever this was, that they’d take care of it. These two men appeared metallic, and one was predominately blue while the other red. It was X and Zero.

“What do you think Zero old buddy?” X asked. “These guys are coming from the direction of that huge explosion. Are they trouble?”

“Not too sure…” Zero looked at them puzzled. “They appear human, except for the green one. She’s a little off.” He said.

It was as the two robotic men talked from a distance that Dante and Trish started to get a little antsy. Stepping off their bike to tell these guys to get out of their way. Gamora knowing that it was slightly time sensitive saw no reason to stop them.

“Hey!” Dante yelled, getting X and Zero’s attention. “Could you two Rockem Sockem Robots get out of the way? Our metal friend is kind of waiting on us!” He yelled in frustration.

“Metal friend?” Zero whispered to X. “Like the one on the boat?” X nodded in confusion.

X seemingly cleared his “throat” if you could call it that, like clearing dust from his voice box before speaking directly to Dante, Trish, and Gamora.

“This metal friend? Does he happen to be shaped like a man and can fly?” X asked.

Dante smirked and looked back at his friends. “Well would you look at that! This Tony guy sure does get around it seems.” He said as Trish inched forward and chimed in.

“That’s the one! Now if you could step aside we really need to go help him!”

Without saying another word X and Zero just stood there silently. Dante, Trish and Gamora started to get a bad feeling back their lack of a response. And before the trio could decide that they’d just forget it and drive on, X and Zero would share a look then a nod. Zero then activating his green plasma sword, and X readying his Buster Canon. Both appearing ready for a fight.

“Ah Hell!” Dante yelled as he pulled his guns Ebony & Ivory. Styled as they were named with one being silver and the other being a shiny jet black.

“I’m guessing they’re not too fond of our iron friend.”

“Yeah… look’s like the Tin-Man has some enemies!” Dante replied to Trish.

“I don’t know… these guys aren’t familiar. Then again we’re dealing with a whole different Iron-Man so I could be wrong.” Gamora interjects.

“Different how?” Trish asked, puzzled but knowing there was no time for explanations.

Trish and Gamora then prepared themselves for a fight, Gamora pulling out her futuristic long sword and readying it with the stance of a true assassin. Trish sporting a similar weapon to Gamora’s sword and Dante’s claymore Rebellion. Hers being fleshy in nature and the blade arching down as the bottom tip of the blade met the bottom of the handle. Yellow lightning then began wrapping around both her and the sword like a snake before disappearing and reappearing.

“Two against three.” Zero counted. “I like those odds!”

“Don’t get cocky Zero! It was two to one when we fought the metal man, and he managed to give us at least a little bit of trouble!” X acknowledged.

The two groups of warriors then began to charge each other. X blasting shots from his Buster Canon as Dante shot and dispersed the blasts with Ebony & Ivory, a near limitless amount of ammo coming from both weapons with neither needing to reload. As the warriors made their way within range of melee combat, Zero and Gamora darted in as their swords clashed. A loud buzzing and WHOOSHING sound emanating from the weapons as they rest on each other, sparks flying. Zero and Gamora’s strength struggling as they attempted to overpower each other.

In the meantime Dante had switched to his claymore Rebellion to battle X alongside his partner Trish. The two swiftly jumped in and out of range for X as he air dashed away from swinging swords in an attempt to save his bacon. He would periodically between dodges shoot off small shots from his Buster Canon. Blasts that Trish and Dante would either dodge or deflect.

Simultaneously Gamora and Zero would slash at each other, blocking and parrying with skill and finesse. Both impressed with the others skill and efficiency when it came to their swordsmanship. What was even more impressive to Zero was the fact that Gamora’s sword wasn’t being chopped up by his plasma sword. Especially confusing for Zero considering he knew that any basic metal should be no match. But being an alien, Gamora’s sword was anything but basic.

“Impressive…” Zero said while panting. “Not only are you skilled but your weapon is fairly unorthodox. No Earth metal should withstand my plasma sword!” He informed her.

“Well that’s because it’s not of this Earth.” She said plainly as she reentered her fighting stance.

“I see.” Zero said as he reentered his.

As that was happening X was putting up a good fight. But he was starting to worn down by the pair of devil hunters. Especially since they were beginning to mix some ranged attacks in there. They were relatively low damage coming from Dante. Ebony & Ivory couldn’t do much against the Maverick Hunter. But occasionally Trish would shock X with her yellow lighting bolts, akin to that of the Greek god Zeus himself. And though these hits wouldn’t do much surface damage, they would seemingly overcharge and slightly fry some of his inner machinery.

“Those are some wicked attacks…” X would say as the duo surrounded him on both sides. “I detest violence, but it’s clear to stop you two I’ll have to pull out all of the stops of my own!” X insisted.

“Oh yeah? Got any surprises for us little fella?” Dante said as he taunted X.

“Just one big one.”

Dante and Trish gave each other a look of reassurance from either side of the little blue robot boy. And just as they were about to go in for a simultaneous attack it happened. From what seemed like the digi-verse a suit of glowing white armor with accents of blue and gold morphed onto X’s body. It was his “Armor of Light” and it would be quite effective. Because just as Dante and Trish would swing their swords there’d be a metallic clank as their weapons would bounce right off him.

“No effect!” Trish yelled as she and Dante back dashed away.

Gamora saw this as she battled Zero. She knew that the pair might need her help soon and that she’d have to end this fight quickly. It was a bit of a shame too because she’d been enjoying herself and though she’d have no way of knowing this, but Zero was enjoying the battle as well. A true test of skill. Nevertheless she knew it had to come to an end, and soon. Especially since she knew the longer this battle lasted then the farther away Iron-Man and Morrigan would fly away.

“Well little man. What’s your name?” Gamora asked.

“Zero!” He replied. “And you?”

“Gamora.”

“Huh… Weird name.” Zero replied.

Gamora smirked at the notion of this robot named after a number found her name weird. Then she raised her arm sword in hand and chucked the sword right at him. Zero smirked deflecting the sword, knowing that she’d have no way of continuing this fight without it. Or so he thought. Because she was already right in his face before he could come up with a plan of attack. He slashed forward with his plasma sword as she grabbed his arm with her left hand. Then with her right she un-holstered her energy pistol. She then pressed the pistol against his armor plating and *Blast! Blast! Blast!* she shot him point blank. Not dead but wounded, Zero slumped over and onto the ground.

As his friend fell this distracted X enough for Dante to get in close as Trish took up the rear. Dante leapt for with his sword Rebellion and struck X in the head with it. This only managed to remove the helmet to X’s light armor as X retaliated. Shooting a slightly charged buster shot that sent Dante flying back into a tree! Dante falling to the ground after his back hit it. But as he looked over his shoulder he knew it was too late. Trish had charged an attack of her own. A thunderous blast of yellow lighting had struck him right in the head, now exposed from its lack of armor. This jumbled X’s circuits as he too fell to the ground.

“Dante are you alright!?” Trish would ask as Gamora retrieved her sword.

“…” With no immediate response it would prompt Trish to run to Dante’s aid. Helping him off the ground as he began to snap out of it. “Whoa… little guy packs quite the punch!”

Trish relieved at his reaction knew Dante was fine. The pair then heard Gamora’s motorcycle go off as the engine roared. “What’re you two waiting for? An invitation?” Gamora would say. Giving the devil hunters no time to thank her for the distraction. Because it was time to regroup with Tony and Morrigan. So they two cycles sped off.

Much to the trios surprise, a few minutes later they’d catch up with Tony and Morrigan. But only because they were in a heated dogfight/battle for the skies. In fact they had just caught the tail end of battle between Morrigan and Iron-Man with several Sentinels. Both of our flying heroes blasting missiles at the remaining Sentinel. Iron-Man’s coming from his suit and Morrigan’s coming from seemingly nowhere which perplexed both Iron-Man and Gamora. But oddly enough it didn’t seem to catch Dante and Trish too off guard.

“That’s what thy Cretans get for calling me a mutant!” Morrigan huffed.

“Glad I didn’t jump to any conclusions…” Iron-Man replied as Morrigan smiled.

“Oh no! You’re much too intelligent to do that!” She said.

Dante, Trish, and Gamora just watched as that last Sentinel fell to the ground. It was in the shape of a man. A giant metal man with the colors purple and blue. It was then that the three realized that their battle with X and Zero was just a big misunderstanding.

“Well, glad I didn’t kill him…” Trish said as Dante chuckled.

“I hope I can say the same about mine.” Gamora said somewhat plain faced as Dante and Trish looked at her to some extent fearfully.

“Damn I hope.” Dante whispered. The only response he could muster.

It was then a bit of radio static came over and Iron-Man had now been talking to the trio.

“Good I see you guys have caught up. As you can see we were slowed down a bit but that shouldn’t matter too much.”

“Why is that?”

“Well I triangulated the last transmission the blazing bird has emitted in a while. My guess is that it stopped off somewhere so we must be getting close. It’s right after a mountain range coming up and by my calculations we can’t be more than an hour away. Are you guys ready?” Tony asked.

Without answering the group knew they had to be. After all that Phoenix or whatever it was is powerful. And the fate of Tony’s long time friend Rhodey was at stake. So the group buckled up, and traveled onward.